Baseball and softball have remained popular sports throughout recent history. The pure exhilaration of playing a classic game with your teammates is something that many people cannot resist. However, for one to become skilled at baseball or softball takes a great deal of time and practice, especially when it comes to pitching the ball. More games are won and lost on pitching than almost any other factor of the game. Accordingly much teaching and coaching time is spent on pitching; much to the chagrin of the pitchers, as pitching practice is typically very tedious and boring.
One (1) way to improve pitching skills is to evaluate the accuracy and consistency of a pitched ball. Having a coach or other training staff available is one (1) method of observing this skill; however, having dedicated training personnel is not feasible for most players. This is particularly a problem for the young or beginning athlete who is trying to hone their pitching skills in the off-season away from athletic coaches. This need has led to the development of personal training apparatus suitable for practicing and assessing the skills required for being a successful pitcher.
While these training apparatus may achieve their intended purpose and objectives, each suffers from at least one (1) disadvantage or deficiency related to design or utilization. Particularly, these apparatus lack specifically designated target zones for a pitcher to aim based on in-game situations. Additionally, these apparatus lack the ability to retain a large number of balls neatly for retrieval at the commencement of a training session. Another disadvantage of these apparatus is that they do not provide a support frame that is simple and easy to assemble, disassemble, and transport to a training location, such as an empty ball field or a batting cage. Another disadvantage of these apparatus is the use of complicated sensors and color schemes that can lead to confusion during training and are prone to failure. Another disadvantage of these apparatus is the requirement of a support stand for use. Additionally, these apparatus often have rigid target zones which limit usage of the apparatus to those having a certain skill level. According, none of these training apparatus have adequately addressed these disadvantages.